


I Thought Of Everything That Never Occured

by Bam4Me



Series: The Alpha Quadrant's Funniest Home Videos [1]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Demisexual Jim, First of a series, Flashbacks, Fluff, Good Sybok, Jim and Spock met as children, Jim is a Daddy's Boy, Jim is a lil angel promise, Kid Fic, M/M, Mind Adepts, Mind Meld, Soulmates, Stay at home Dad George, T'hy'la, Tarsus IV, Vulcan Mind Melds, but only mentions
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-11
Updated: 2017-06-12
Packaged: 2018-11-12 21:27:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11170419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bam4Me/pseuds/Bam4Me
Summary: In which Jim is an idiot, Leonard is Done With His Shit, and Spock is overly indulging and might have been contributing to the issue.Or; In which soulmate bonds can be measured by a skilled mind adept and Jim and Spock are both morons who ignore hard facts.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So anyways, Spock and Jim are soulmates and even if I don't ship them in the fic they're still soulmates so fuck off.
> 
> Iffy things at the end notes.
> 
> gatersgonewild.tumblr.com

_ “Jimmy, sweet baby boy, hi there Jimmy, can you look at Daddy, please?” _

 

_ The little boy in the video blinked up big blue eyes at his father -Admiral George Kirk of all the damn people, no one would believe the Admiral could speak to someone so saccharine sweet if they hadn’t heard that voice through the recording,- and giggled a little. He was only five, and he still had sweet baby curls in his blonde hair, and he looked like a little angel with chubby cheeks. His face was mischievous when he answered though, he knew just how cute he was. He was holding a toy starship in one hand, and wearing blue overalls with a yellow shirt underneath. “What my daddy need?” _

 

_ You could hear a gentle sigh from behind the camera, and no one could have blamed him, Jimmy could be so sweet sometimes it was dangerous. “Jimmy, we’re recording a message to send to Mommy, don’t you want to say hi?” _

 

_ Jimmy’s face lit up, and it was brighter than the sun shining through the kitchen windows in the farmhouse. “My mommy? Hi Mommy! I misses you lots and lots! I can’t wait to see you soon!” _

 

_ George angled the camera just enough that the viewers could see another boy standing in the doorway to the kitchen, just out of Jimmy’s sight. It wasn’t Jimmy’s older brother, it was a young boy wearing vulcan robes. _

 

_ “Jimmy, you haven’t told Mommy your big news yet!” _

 

_ “Big news, Daddy?” He looked confused, and you kinda want to cuddle his sweet little face, how can someone look like that? No wonder George stayed home with him for the first seven years.  _

 

_ “Yeah, Bubbas, you didn’t tell Mommy about your new best friend ever!” _

 

_ You could see the change on his little face in seconds, big eager eyes looking around the room for someone. “Spock, my Spock, my mommy’s not met my Spock yet?” He sounded sad, as if it was a terrible thing that his mommy might not have met the most  _ amazing _ person in the whole world. How can anyone survive without Jimmy’s Spock? It’s not possible. _

 

_ His little lip started trembling, but before he could even start crying, the boy in the doorway came fully into the kitchen, looking far more gentle and soft than most vulcan children. “Hush, pi’veh, I am here.” _

 

_ Jimmy turned to the vulcan, who wasn’t much bigger than him, though a little bit taller, and let out a little sigh, reaching up his free hand towards him. The vulcan looked less than amused. “Have you become incapable to standing on your own, pi’veh?” _

 

_ Jimmy nodded, whining now as he went forward to tangle his little fingers in Spock’s robes, his toy starship falling to the ground, forgotten in place of his favorite person. “Please?” _

 

_   
_ _ The vulcan sighed, reaching down to gently pull the little human up. It looked awkward, but vulcans were impossibly strong and heavy compared to humans. Other than their sizes, he could easily hold him. “Are you well now?” _

 

_ Jimmy nodded, sighing and leaning in to nuzzle at the vulcan’s neck. “Better.” _

 

_ All was well for about ten seconds while the young vulcan held the little human close, until they could hear a door opening in the house and shouting from the other room. “Monty, you’re not supposed to be in the house, you’ll make Jimmy sneeze!” _

 

_ A cat came darting through the room, bumping into Spock, who wouldn’t have been uprooted other than the way that Jimmy started squirming in his arms, causing the two of them to go tumbling to the ground, Jimmy sitting between his legs as Spock looked honestly surprised, and Jimmy looked wide eyed after the angry sounding cat. _

 

_ Before the video cut off you could hear laughing from behind the camera. _

 

***

 

This was the second time the video had made its circulation around Starfleet Academy's campus. The first time being less than a month after it had been filmed and sent to Winona on her ship where she -in her excitement of seeing something so cute- had shown it to the entire ship, and consequently, given them accidental permission to send it to others back at the academy, and now, when the campus had realized that both Spock and Jim Kirk were now on the campus at the same time.

 

Jim sighed as he passed another student on his way to the medical building, hearing the tell tale voices from her PADD of that damn video that his father still pulled out whenever Jim hit another milestone in his life.

 

Anyone who thinks that Winona Kirk is the sappy one of their family has things completely backwards. George was the one who had stayed home with Jim and Sam until Starfleet had forced his hand to come back to his commission. Out of the two of them, George was much more likely to cry at his ‘little boy’ growing up, than Winona.

 

It’s not that he hated the video, he knew he made a damn cute baby, okay, but this is the fifteenth time he’s seen someone playing it -usually while pointing and staring at him- this week.

 

When he was outside the building where Bones was waiting for him, he couldn’t help but let out a loud groan when he saw what Bones was watching. “Bones, no, not you, I trusted you.”

 

Bones snorted. “Oh come on,  _ Jimmy _ , you were a cute kid, where did you go wrong?”

 

Jim laughed, drily. “Thanks, Bones. I’m so glad you’re amused.”

 

Bones put the PADD down to his side, following Jim when he started walking back towards their dorm rooms. “So…”

 

“So what?”

 

Bones looked less amused, more curious. “So, that’s really Professor Spock in the video? I’m honestly not surprised about you being cute or your daddy babying you, I’ve met Admiral’s Kirk, you are a daddy’s boy through and through, what I’m wondering, is how you and the Professor ended up  _ best friends ever _ ?”

 

Jim turned to glare at him as he opened up the dorm building doors, letting Bones go in ahead of him. “Bones, are you jealous that I’m best friend with someone other than you?”

 

Bones seemed to think that one over. “Well, on some level, yes. But no, this is merely curiosity.”

 

Jim watched him closely all the way to their dorm room. “We met when the Ambassador came to Earth, I guess. His mom and my dad ended up going to the same meeting, so she said that Sybok could watch me and Sam because he was sixteen. By the way, Spock’s older brother is not to be trusted with children apparently. Not human children at least. His version of calming me and Sammy down when we cried involved mind melding.”

 

Bones started stripping out of his uniform, squinting at that. “Isn’t that illegal?”

 

Jim shrugged a little. “Uh, legally? That’s a little iffy. Like, literally, there weren’t any laws on the specific situation, because Sybok was a full fledged mind adept already, which means that legally he could meld with anyone who consented, vulcans and humans alike, but at the same time he’s… have you ever met Spock’s brother? He’s… he’s Sybok, there’s not really much to it, he’s twice as lazy as any vulcan I’ve ever met, and his solution for everything is worming his way into people’s minds till they see things his way. If he ever turned evil, we’d all be fucked.”

 

“Uh… ignoring the fact that I don’t think I ever want to meet the professor’s brother now, so what, that somehow made you like Spock?”

 

Jim shook his head. “No, it’s not quite that. You know how kids pick up habits from their family members? Well, it’s sort of like…”

 

***

 

_ Spock didn’t understand why he had to play with this child. He was human. He was only five standard years, but at two years younger than Spock, Jimmy is still playing with legos when Spock has long since graduated to low level robotics engineering. He doesn’t see how him and this little human could have anything in common. _

 

_ Jimmy was looking at the green boy suspiciously. He didn’t know why Daddy thought he’d like him. He didn’t smile. _

 

_ “These are my toys.” Jimmy held the bucket of legos possessively to his chest. The bucket was open and legos were spilling out to the floor around him. They were in Captain Archer’s office while all the boring adults were in a boring adult meeting, and Jimmy didn’t want to go with them. Well, sometimes he wanted to go with Daddy, but he thinks that maybe he’s getting a little too old for that. _

 

_ Spock looked over to the couch in front of the viewscreen where Sybok and Sam were playing video games. He didn’t want to join his brother, that game looked violent. _

 

_ Jimmy was looking up at him mistrustfully, as if fearful he would take his beloved toys from him. Spock frowned. “I do not intend to play with your legos.” _

 

_ Jimmy’s lower lip dropped, and it took seconds for it to start wobbling, tears welling up in his eyes. Spock looked around the room in panic for a few seconds, trying to find an adult that could help them, or at least Sybok. Sybok and Sam couldn’t hear them though, their video game too loud. He crouched down next to the five year old, trying to appear kind. “You don’t wanna play my legos?” _

 

_ Spock shook his head -a human motion he’d learned from his human mother,- cautious. “Those are your toys, and I do not intend to take them from you.” _

 

_ Jimmy leaned back away from him a little, more legos spilling out of the bucket, a few of them even ending up down Jimmy’s shirt, but he ignored them. He looked mad now, big but angry tears slipping down his cheeks silently. “What’s wrong with my legos?” _

 

_ Spock sputtered once, trying to figure out what that even  _ meant _ , and looked back over to Sybok and Sam. He got a sudden idea, and reached out his hands towards Jimmy’s meld points. _

 

_ Sybok always did this with him when Spock didn’t understand something, this would help. He gently pressed his fingers to the little boy’s meld points, pushing their minds together as gently as he could. Sybok and Mother said that humans had fragile minds, and needed to be treated with care and respect. Jimmy was only a little boy, he needed as much care as possible. _

 

_ When he pulled back, Sybok was sitting next to him with wide eyes, and immediately reached forward to take Spock’s wrist in his own. “Spock, what did you do?” _

 

_ Spock looked at him in confusion before looking back to Jimmy. Jimmy had a dazed expression on his face, almost blissful even. He’d let go of the bucket of legos, now spilled between them, probably what had alerted their brothers to what was going on. Sam was sitting next to Jimmy, running one hand over Jimmy’s soft blonde curls, looking concerned. _

 

_ “We had a misunderstanding.” _

 

_ Sybok’s eyes were wide. “A misunderstanding? Spock, you can’t just  _ meld _ with a human, they’re delicate, and babies don’t often know what a meld is-” _

 

_ “I know what a meld is now.” _

 

_ Sybok looked over at Jimmy, who was pouting at him, little cheeks puffed up. “You are five years old and human, this could have hurt you very badly.” _

 

_ Jimmy shook his head, eyes rolling. “Didn’t hurt. It felt good.” _

 

_ Sybok could feel a vein throbbing in his forehead, he swears by it. “It felt  _ good _?” _

 

_ Jimmy nodded, looking proud. “Spock is smart, and I couldn’t see his smiles before now, but I see them and they’re pretty, and Vulcan is a pretty planet, and you’re Spock’s big brother and he loves you lots, and he’s really warm inside and it felt really good.” _

 

_ Sybok seemed floored. Sam was a little scared. “What the fuck?” _

 

_ Spock gave him a shocked look, but Sybok looked like he very much agreed. _

 

_ “What the hell, it’s like he’s smarter now? How the fuck did that happen?” _

 

_ Jimmy looked up at Sam with big eyes. “You’re saying bad words, I’m gonna tell Daddy.” _

 

_ Sam frowned at him. “Okay, nevermind, he’s still a little pest.” _

 

_ Jimmy yelped. “Hey, is not a pest you big oaf, you’re the pest!” _

 

_ “A pest is small, and I’m bigger than you.” _

 

_ You’re a… you’re a…” He looked up at Spock for a second before looking back at Sam, smug. “You’re a neandertal.” _

 

_ Sam’s eyes went big, and he looked over at Spock. “Did you teach him that?” _

 

_ Spock didn’t know what else to do, so he shrugged. He learned that motion from Sybok. “Possibly?” _

 

_ Sybok sat down next to Spock with a dazed look. “This isn’t possible, that should have hurt him. Spock is  _ no _ mind adept, trust me, I’ve tested him, and they’re both under ten, that should have hurt Jimmy, but he said it felt good. Our mother is an adult and she’s been melding with our father for years now and she said it still gives her a migraine afterwards.” _

 

_ Sam shrugged, no longer fighting with Jimmy, but pulling him in between his legs on the floor. Jimmy ignored it, reaching out for lego pieces on the ground around him, putting them together with no real purpose other than fitting them. “Maybe Jimmy is really… what did Mom call it? Maybe he has a high PSI raiting?” _

 

_ Sybok nodded slowly, almost suspiciously. “I can test it if I can meld with him.” _

 

_ Sam’s eyes narrowed. “What if it was just a fluke and this one hurts him?” _

 

_ Sybok rolled his eyes. “I’m a mind adept.” _

 

_ “What’s that?” _

 

_ “It means I can go into almost anyone’s mind without hurting them.” _

 

_ Sam stared at him for a long time before looking down at Jimmy. “Do you want to let him try?” _

 

_ Jimmy thought that over for a minute before shrugging. “Kay.” _

 

_ Sybok put his hand up to Jimmy’s meld points and pushed in as gentle as he could, not missing the way it made him shiver in his older brother’s arms. He looked around for anything that might tell him more about the situation, and found a pre existing thread, thin, but strong enough not to break if pulled. He had a hunch, and he’s pretty sure the other end of the string is tied to Spock. _

 

_ He gently pulled back out. “He… he has a particularly high PSI rating for a human. As long as they know what they’re doing, it shouldn’t hurt to meld with him.” _

 

_ Jimmy blinked for a good ten seconds in Sam’s tight hold, before humming. “It doesn’t feel as good as Spock, but it was nice.” _

 

***

 

“Isn’t that… morally wrong, to meld with children while their parents aren’t around?”

 

Jim shrugged, pulling on a pair of sweats and a tee shirt before flopping down on his bed with his PADD, intent on actually studying for once. “I mean, I guess so? But at the same time, it’s really not that bad. Spock didn’t know because as far as he knew as a kid, it was normal to meld with siblings and friends, and Sybok was a licensed mind adept, so he knew there wasn’t a chance of hurting me if I had accepted it once.”

 

Bones made a noise like he was gearing up to argue with him again, so Jim sighed, looking at him firmly. “Bones, it’s fine. I’m a happy well rounded adult in Starfleet.”

 

“When I first met you, you had a black eye and about ten cuts on your face.”

 

Jim looked around as if for the answer for a good ten seconds. “...uh… shoulda seen the other guy?”

 

“I did see the other guy, he didn’t have a scratch on him.”

 

Jim sighed, picking at his bed spread. “You know, I just don’t even have an answer for this, so I’m gonna keep my mouth shut.”

 

“Good idea.”

 

***

 

Of course, just because Jim has dropped -or at least,  _ thought _ he dropped- the subject, it doesn’t mean Leonard has. Thankfully though, he gives Jim until the next time Jim is admitted to the medical center before he pesters him about things again.

 

Jim was a man who had more allergies than sense, and that’s not saying much because he has very little sense, but he has a plethora of allergies. He’s thankfully already been taken care of while Leonard was on the other side of the center, but Leonard is going to stop in on his room and make sure to check up on him since he’s the only one in the medical center who’s had the time to familiarize himself with Jim’s list of allergens.

 

It had been a surprise, one day, when they found out that sometimes the cure to one allergy, will also cause an allergic reaction in him. Actually no, it hadn’t been a surprise, it had been  _ terrifying _ . Leonard isn’t even surprised at it anymore, but he is terrified that Jim would get seriously hurt one day.

 

He stopped outside the door to Jim’s hospital room, hearing voices inside and listening in while he pulled Jim’s medical information up on his PADD so he knew what he was dealing with right now, and narrowed his eyes. That wasn’t either of his parents voices. In fact, he’s pretty sure both of them are off planet right now.

 

He opened up the door a little when the room went silent, and stood there frozen as he watched Professor Spock of all the people leaning over Jim’s bed with his right hand on Jim’s meld points. Both of them had their eyes closed, lost in a world literally of their own making.

 

And to think, Leonard never actually knew that Jim and Spock were in regular contact still. He’d assumed they might speak every once in awhile, but Jim has been living in Iowa for the past four years of high school before joining Starfleet, and Spock… well, he’d never expected that the two of them were  _ together _ .

 

He slipped into the room, closing the door behind them for privacy when he realized he probably couldn’t do much to disturb them anyways, and pulled out a tricorder, standing on the other side of the bed and running it over Jim’s form.

 

Other than extremely heightened brain activity -and wasn’t that interesting, to have proof what a mind meld did to the human brain for record- Jim was recovering properly. He’d probably be able to be released within a few hours or so.

 

He stayed in the room though, pulling up the other chair in the room for both worry, in case this was more dangerous than it seemed, as well as a want to make sure Jim was okay himself.

 

He opened up his PADD, pulling up paperwork for him to file while he waited, feeling a little like he was intruding if he concentrated on them for too long. They seemed so completely comfortable around each other. Jim didn’t even look that peaceful while sleeping.

 

Though, it did make him wonder why Jim stayed in the dorms when he had an obviously loving boyfriend -possibly husband by Vulcan laws as far as Leonard knows- that he could stay with instead. Of course, he also wondered why Jim stayed in the dorms when he could live rent free with his parents less than ten minutes from the campus, but he’d always assumed it had been a want for independence as well as the convenience of rolling out of bed fifteen minutes before class and still not being late.

 

It took them nearly fifteen minutes to come back to him, and when they did, Spock didn’t startle at his presence, but before he saw Leonard’s face, he knew Spock was on edge before his mind identified him as non threatening. Jim took a good half a minute to blink himself out of the goofy looking daze he’d been cocooned into from the soothing meld, plus the fact that his face was still just a little bit swollen from somehow eating a strawberry, and so it took him a little bit longer to realize they weren’t alone.

 

Even the shock of finding Leonard with them couldn’t break the grin off his face, and Leonard was at once thankful for the peace of mind that Spock could give the teen even after a mess like that.

 

“Bones.”

 

“Hey there, kiddo. I see your face is a little less swollen than when they brought you in. You seeing okay?”

 

Jim nodded, one hand lazily pulling his and Spock’s tangled fingers up against his chest, utterly content even with half his face numb. If he were a cat -or a vulcan- Leonard thinks he’d be purring. He wonders if Spock purrs, but he shakes that thought away before it can take hold, not actually wanting the answer to that one. He assumes, that half human or not, Spock can.

 

“I feel fine Bones. Spock makes things better.”

 

Leonard smiled a little. “I bet he does. Mr Spock, are you going to be staying with him until he’s ready to be discharged?”

 

The vulcan seemed to show how affected he was by both the meld and Jim’s clingy fingers wrapped around his own by a slight flush rising in his cheeks, and he gave a curt nod, otherwise completely unfazed. “Jim will not be going back to his dorm tonight, I will take him with me to the faculty quarters. I know you have a late shift today.”

 

Leonard nodded, a little curl to his lips to show how amused he was, but got off the chair with a stretch. “Alright, I’ll leave you two to… whatever this is. Get well soon, kiddo.”

 

Jim gave him a sleepy grin. “Thanks, Bones.”

 

***

 

Jim was back to sleeping in the dorm room with Leonard by the next night, which Leonard was thankful for, if only so he could make sure Jim was actually okay. Also, he was curious and had some questions, and it was nice to know that he could ask them without fear of Jim running away, because Jim was very good at running away.

 

Jim was half asleep when Leonard sat down on the edge of Jim’s bed with the tricorder running over him. “You never told me you and the vulcan were dating. I don’t see why not, there’s no regulations against it as long as he’s not your professor, and he’s not.”

 

Jim lifted his head from where he’d been half smothered in his pillow, pink lines creasing on his face as he squinted at Leonard, not quite a glare, but a tired stare. “Dating? I’m not dating anyone, why’d you think that?”

 

Leonard set the tricorder down with an honestly confused face. “You’re not dating Spock?”

 

Jim shook his head. “Nah, he’s a friend, is all.”

 

Bones didn’t believe that for a second. “Jim, you were locked in a fifteen minute mind meld when I found you two, even for bonded pairs, that’s a rare length of time together. I’ve heard some people say that a meld of half an hour is like being inside someone’s head for a full year. Jim, how often do you two meld?”

 

Jim turned pink at that, honestly thinking it over. “Well, we’ve been doing it since we were kids. Listen Bones, Sybok said that since we have such compatible minds, it’s safe for us to do it, and after the first time, him and his dad said they both found a low level bond in our heads, so the damage was pretty much already done. We meld pretty much as often as we can. I know it’s a little weird, but it… it’s just natural for us. It doesn’t mean I’m dating him.”

 

Leonard nodded, mouth set in a thin line. “How often is ‘as often as we can’?”

 

Jim was steadily turning from pink to red now, and Bones almost didn’t even need the answer. “Well, until I moved here, it used to be once every couple of months since we were little. When I was twelve, my parents sent me and Sammy to live on Vulcan for a few years while they were on an extended mission, we used to meld almost daily then. Which is why I know it’s not anything sexual, Bones. We were just kids, that’s not what it was about. Sybok said it was natural that we just wanted to be close because of the pre existing bond.”

 

“Pre existing? I thought you said the bond appeared when he melded with you the first time?”

 

Jim shrugged, not meeting his eyes. “Well… Sybok said he’s pretty sure it was there before…” And Sybok was  _ never _ wrong about that sort of thing. They’re all pretty sure it’s the one thing that Sybok excels at beyond measure, is mind adeptness. Not even T’Pau could compare to him.

 

Bones sighed, looking heavenward. “Jim, tell me, you’ve been in a vulcan’s head for over half your life now, there’s a word for what they call that, a pre existing bond, in fact, I know there are two words for it, tell me.”

 

Jim looked away from him, “I don’t-”

 

“You do.”

 

“...telsu, and… t’hy’la.”

 

“And their translations, if you would?”

 

“Well, telsu doesn’t actually have a direct translation-”

 

“But it has a literal one.”

 

Jim sat up, pushing his knees underneath him so he could kneel up on the bed, the blankets still over his back. “Bones, why are you making me say it?”

 

“Because you won’t admit it until you say it, so I need you to say it right now. I promise it’ll help one day. It might not help in this exact moment but one day it’ll help.”

 

Jim pulled his pillow into his lap and sat back on his bottom on the bed, not quite turned away from Leonard, but not facing him either. “T’hy’la is directly and literally translated as… friend, brother… and lover. But now, Bones, that’s not a fair translation, what if they’re asexual or something? You don’t have to be a lover to be… you know…”

 

“Telsu is?”

 

Jim’s lower lip wobbled once, and Bones could have sworn for a second he looked just like that angelic little boy from the video George Kirk had taken all those years ago. It was no damn wonder the man couldn’t seem to handle the idea of Jim growing up, when he probably still looked at him and saw that five year old who followed him around all day, nervous without his primary caregiver close by.

 

He knew that for a matter of fact, mainly because if there was one thing George Kirk was guaranteed to talk about when drunk, it was watching Jimmy grow up and recounting tales of the little boy following him around everywhere. Leonard was almost jealous of that. He wished he could look back on Joanna’s childhood one day and say she’d been his little shadow, never too far from him, but his ex had happily seen to the fact that his visitation rights were few and far between nowadays.

 

Jim sighed, looking between the sheets and Leonard finally. “Soulmate. It’s literal translation is soulmate. It doesn’t have a direct translation, but when the vulcans first explained what it meant, it was translated as soulmate.”

 

Leonard nodded. “Tell me, have there been records of mind adepts finding pre existing telsu bonds between full blooded human beings believed to be soulmates?”

 

“Yes. At this point in time, it’s generally accepted that soulmates is no longer an acceptable nickname for lovers unless approved by a mind adept.”

 

“Which yours has been proven.”

 

Jim groaned, shoving the pillow back to the bed and flopping forward so he could squish his entire face into it. “I don’t understand why you even care so much, Bones, it’s not like I’m fucking anyone else. Besides, how the hell do you know neither of us are asexual or aromantic? Maybe you’re poking us in a direction neither of us are comfortable with?”

 

“Are you uncomfortable with sex or relationships?”

 

Jim grumbled something unintelligible into the pillow before lifting his head up, honestly confused. “I don’t know? I mean, like yeah I touch myself Jim not sex  _ repulsed _ , but I’ve never…”

 

“Jim you’re only eighteen, that’s… well not experimenting is fine, you know. I know a lot of people say experimenting as a teen is healthy, but not experimenting is just as healthy, as long as that’s what you want.”

 

“I’ve never dated anyone either. I don’t think I want to try…”

 

Leonard nodded, watching him flop back down into the pillow. He ran a hand through Jim’s hair at the base of his neck. “Do you want to do the things that people who date do with Spock?”

 

Jim thought that over, finally coming out of the pillow for air. “Like what?”

 

“Holding hands-”

 

“We do that.”

 

“Going out to dinner and movies together.”

 

“That too.”

 

Sleeping in the same bed sometimes.”

 

“...we did that last night.”

 

Leonard smiled a little where Jim couldn’t see it. “Cuddling?”

 

“Did that too.”

 

“Make each other meals and just spend quiet time together?”

 

“I… know how to use the replicator? I’ve pretty much been banned from the stove for most things.”

 

Leonard snorted. “I’m sorry kiddo, I think the two of you already got this down.”

 

“Does that mean I have to have sex with him?”

 

“Only if you want to, Jim, you don’t need to do anything you don’t feel comfortable with.”

 

Jim thought that one over for a while, before humming. “It’s not that I’m unattracted to him… but what if I don’t like being touched as much as I like touching myself? I know some people feel that way.”

 

Leonard nodded. “Of course. If you don’t like being touched, then tell him and he’ll respect that.”

 

Jim lifted up to look at him critically. “You don’t even know him, how do you know he won’t ignore that?”

 

Leonard raised an eyebrow and Jim thought it looked a lot like Spock’s ‘you’re an idiot’ face. “Jim, you’ve had him in your head for over half your life, he’s your  _ soulmate _ , and you’re not sure if he would stop if you asked him to?”

 

Jim thought that over for a few seconds. “Oh… yeah I guess he would.”

 

“I’m not fully sure it’s possible for someone to hurt their soulmate on purpose.”

 

Jim sighed, a little dreamy. “I love it when Spock melds with me. It feels like happiness bursting all over me, Bones. Our bond used to be weaker, I craved it constantly. After I left Vulcan though, it felt better. Sybok said our bond was as strong as their parents then, and it might be stronger now.”

 

Leonard blinked a few times, thinking that over before cringing. “Jim, do you have Spock’s thoughts in your head even when you’re not touching?”

 

Jim nodded. “Yeah. He thinks you’re pretty smart.”

 

Leonard’s eyes went heavenwards again and he slowly counted to ten. “Jim, you’re a damn idiot, you know that right?”

 

“Sam says that too.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did not expect this to go beyond one chapter (I knew it was going to be in a series, but I didn't expect multiple chapters) but this just feels more natural to put this as a second chapter to the fic as opposed to a new fic entirely. IDK how many more chapters will be in this one at all, but I think it will overall cover their time at Starfleet with side fics and stuff but then I have more planned for them being on the Enterprise and all.

They were a month into the second semester of Jim’s time at the academy when Spock -of all the people, workaholic Spock- had suggested Jim take a break.

 

His two hour panic attack in his and Leonard’s room that had ended in Leonard sedating him and Spock cutting his classes short for that day, might have had something to do with it. Really, Jim shouldn’t have doubled up on his classes. It’s not the workload that he couldn’t handle, he could deal with the work, was even getting top marks in his classes, but apparently, humans needed sleep too. He had eventually conceded and dropped one single class. He had been fine the first semester, he didn’t know what was wrong now.

 

“I don’t see how a seminar on planet terraformation is considered relaxing, Spock.” Spock hummed, almost imperceptibly to the human ear while he stopped to take a single champagne flute off a tray from a passing server and handed it to Jim without pause. Vulcans had no need to drink, and he knew Jim would just make him wait while he found a -undoubtedly harder- drink for himself.

 

“That’s because you’ve yet to research the effects it would have on a non-carbon based life form if they were to ever join Starfleet and need to find a home in this galaxy.” That wasn’t Spock either, and Jim looked up from the sparkling clear glass to find Captain Pike in front of them with a scotch on the rocks in one hand, wearing a much more formal dress uniform. Jim was actually a little glad he wasn’t an official officer now, because while Spock could get away without wearing a uniform to a black tie event -like this one really shouldn’t be for a damn seminar of all things- Jim would probably be forced into an officer's uniform.

 

Chris looked him up and down as if sensing his thoughts, before slowly dragging his eyes over to the vulcan, and letting out a little sigh. Jim would have thought he’d been disappointed in their casual -as fucking if, if Jim was in casual wear he’d be in sweats and a tee shirt instead of the loose green tunic and black pants, but Spock, a vulcan, could get away with a more traditional vulcan based evening wear- clothing, but Jim, who knew him just a bit better than that, knew he was probably jealous.

 

Jim frowned. “Why would we need to terraform for a non-carbon based life form? This galaxy is full of millions of planets and I’m sure  _ one _ of them would already have what another species would need if they came here.”

 

Chris shrugged, deciding to go another direction. “Okay, what if we somehow manage to fuck up all our class M planets and need a new one?”

 

Jim shrugged right back. “Damn that would suck.”

 

“...that’s your only answer?”

 

Jim downed the entire flute in one drink and shrugged again, even more exaggerated this time. The act would have been seen as petulant to any captain who hadn’t known Jim back when he was still young enough to be cute when being a brat. “I’m not exactly looking for a planet to settle down on, Captain, my dreams are out in the stars.”

 

Chris sighed. “That’s good, Cadet, but in case you’re forgetting, the human race may look to the stars but they crave to be grounded.”

 

Jim looked over to Spock again. “Which, once more,  _ Professor _ , makes me wonder why  _ I _ needed to attend this seminar tonight. I’m sure you have students who would have happily thrown out their Friday night plans to come with you.”

 

Spock gave him a pointed mental poke to the low lying shields they kept up through the majority of their time. They may be telsu, but that didn’t mean they craved to share their every thought with each other at all times. Couples, are just that.  _ Couples _ , not singles. It had taken years of Sybok drilling that into their heads before they stopped trying to be the same person.

 

“I am sure you are correct, pi’veh, but I do not wish for their company at this time.”

 

They must had stared at each other for too long, -a usual thing for them, unfortunately- because Chris cleared his throat, downing the rest of his scotch. “Okay, Mr Spock, someone needs to explain appropriate human nicknames for your significant other to you.”

 

Jim snorted, turning back to Chris with a frown. “Really? Because I’m pretty sure the most historically  _ common _ nickname for humans to call their partner is ‘baby’ so…”

 

Chris looked downright offended for a moment, and Jim nearly started cheering when Spock gave a mental equivalent of an eye roll and put a hand on the other side of Jim’s waist, gently directing him towards the conference room the seminar was taking place in. The gesture itself, if initiated by anyone other than a vulcan, would have been seen as a completely appropriate way to guide a student away from a possible confrontation with another professor in the academy, but as is, several other professors in the room were looking at them like Spock had just solicited a minor in front of them.

 

Jim resents that, he’s a fully consenting adult… also him and Spock haven’t even kissed before, so he doesn’t see the issue.

 

Chris followed after them, and Jim found himself flanked between the two of them in the front row of the conference room. Since when did the academy stop trusting him left on his own?

 

Before the conference could start, Chris leaned over and said, low enough for no humans to overhear, but a respectful distance from him so as not to seem inappropriate - an idea that seems completely lost on Spock, who seemed to think that his personal space and Jim’s personal space existed in the same place. “You know, if terraformation technology can be advanced, all new colonies established in the future will have a sort of… fail safe, if you will, when encountering crop destroying organisms. It could be invaluable to the survival of new planet colonizations.”

 

The space between them seemed icy cold and quiet for a good ten seconds while Jim worked to swallow, and turn to reply. “It’s not the terraformation that causes catastrophic death within a new colony when crops are sudden destroyed. Starfleet can be called to help, and while they’re getting there, rations can be delivered, as well as all colonies now days being equipped with synthesizers. It’s not crops failing that forces half a population into a crowded town square for execution upon evaluation of their mental and physical health. It’s not failing crops that allows  _ starfleet officers _ to pull that trigger on innocent civilians because their leader didn’t want to call for help.”

 

Chris didn’t have any arguments for that. Not many officers of the fleet had answers for that. Spock let Jim grab his right hand in his own, the contact creating an almost spark like pathway between the low mental walls between them. It was almost impossible to keep their thoughts separated when in physical contact. Jim sat back in the chair with relaxed shoulders and let himself forget who he was for a time.

 

As far as coping mechanisms went, Chris has seen far more dangerous.

 

***

 

Jim was, as a general rule, an abrasive person. He pissed people off faster than a nat. The only reason Leonard had gotten attached to him so fast was because Jim seemed to need someone to heal him every five minutes from his body’s natural hatred of being alive.

 

“How did you even get accepted into Starfleet? You’ve had  _ three _ allergic reactions just this morning, if we lived in another time period you probably would have been labeled as hopeless and left to die in a hole somewhere.”

 

Jim shrugged, focusing more on trying to get away from Leonard’s newest hypo with an almost panicked look. Normally he’d complain but let the doctor stab him anyways, but after the third reaction he’s starting to get a little nervous at the fleet’s mandatory vaccination day. “Nepotism probably. I doubt I would have made it past the physicals otherwise. Can you please stop stabbing me?”

 

Leonard sighed, lowering the hypo. “Jim, please, this is the last vaccine I have for you, this is supposed to be a five minute process because we have to get through the  _ entire _ human population today, please, just one more hypo and if you aren’t swelling up again in five minutes I’ll let you leave and hide from me for the rest of the weekend, please.”

 

Jim sighed, shoulders pulled up tight before Leonard reached out to gently smooth down the collar of his shirt where he needed to get the last hypo in. The area was a little pink from all the injections, but Leonard knew that it wouldn’t actually hurt him as long as this last injection went okay. Luckily, he’s managed to contain all the reactions before it could result in a full blown hospitalization, but if they were on a ship, he’d order Jim off duty for the rest of the day at least. As is, it was thankfully a weekend, and he had already messaged Spock to wait outside so Jim couldn’t attempt to run away.

 

It was nice to know that someone else cared just as much about Jim’s health as he did and was willing to help. The one time he’d attempted to ask George to help, the admiral had proven that helicopter parenting was still alive and well in this day and age, and had almost made matters worse when he tried to convince Leonard that Jim in fact, did  _ not _ need Leonard poking him right now.

 

Suffice to say, George Kirk was not to be trusted if Jim was whining, because George Kirk is a pandering parent and Leonard has no time for it.

 

He waited until Jim’s shoulders had sufficiently relaxed into his touch as he soothed over the area with his thumb before pressing the hypo there and depressing it before Jim could tense again. Thankfully, with his muscles less tight the injection didn’t even fully register on the sore area and Jim only let out a low moan, giving a full body shudder in discontent while he curled up in a ball on the bio bed. “I can die now?”

 

Leonard sighed. “Wait here, I’m sending in Spock and he’ll monitor you for the next ten minutes, if you don’t show any signs of reaction, then you can go, but I really do need to go to my next patient now.”

 

Jim just moaned at him, curled up tight. He didn’t like Bones anymore, he was a mean cruel man and he was terrible and nothing was okay.

 

He felt a hand brush through his hair, the light touch, no matter how brief, lighting up his bond with Spock like ringing a bell. Suddenly he felt lighter and things mattered less. “Ashayam, you are an illogical creature. The good doctor is not torturing you, he is in fact, making sure you are healthy.”

 

Jim pouted. Spock was supposed to be on  _ his _ side.

 

“I am always ‘on your side’ pi’veh.”

 

“His stupid hypos made me throw up.”

 

“And as soon as that occurred, he rectified the situation and gave you room to calm down before your next injection.”

 

“It was only supposed to be four injections, he gave me seven.”

 

“Because you had three allergic reactions.”

 

Jim sighed into the bio bed, reaching back a hand blindly for Spock’s, tangling their fingers together. Back when they used to do that as kids, Sybok had always acted like they were molesting each other. Amanda had told him to stop fussing about it, Spock was half human and Jimmy had been full, things were different for them. Jim pulled Spock and his hands up and pressed his lips to Spock’s finger tips.

 

This is as close as the two of them ever got to anything sexual. He’s starting to think he might be broken in more ways than just allergies.

 

Spock was suddenly on the thin bed with him, pulling him up and back into his arms. “You are not broken.”

 

Jim let Spock pull him back into the cradle of his legs. There has actually been a lot of this lately, since Leonard had to be a goody goody and convince Jim that he was in love with Spock. He is, yeah, but like, damn, can’t you let him live in denial? Sex just didn’t interest Jim. It made him a little skittish to be honest, but cuddling was like magic. Being in Spock’s arms while Spock was in his head? That was just beautiful. He’s pretty sure he might be okay with  _ other _ things at some point, but right now it sort of made him want to run and hide.

 

“I am broken. My body is allergic to half the freaking universe and I don’t even want sex. What kind of guy doesn’t want sex?”

 

Spock put his right hand on Jim’s meld points, wrapping his arm around Jim’s chest to do it, pulling them flush together. “The number of asexual and demi sexual terrans is actually close to fifteen percent of the population. You are not alone, and you are not broken.”

 

Jim was quiet for a minute. “Do  _ you _ want sex?”

 

“I would not be adverse to it, but I could never ask for something that brings you anxiety.”

 

“Yeah, but do you  _ want _ it?”

 

Spock’s mind brushed up against his in a gentle, very low level meld. It was like cuddling with their minds. Spock could not lie like this. “I do not feel the urge. I would be happy to wait until you find it agreeable, Ashayam.”

 

“What if I never want it?”

 

“Then I will not either.”

 

Jim knew it wasn’t completely so simple as that. One day Pon Farr would happen, and Spock would  _ need _ it. He almost felt a low level of excitement thinking about that though, not the idea of sex, but the idea of one day possibly feeling comfortable with going to Spock for sex, and Spock coming to him in return.

 

He sort of looked forward to that future.

 

***

 

Jim’s new best friend -because he’s still mad at Bones for stabbing him so much last weekend- was Scotty. Scotty was an awesome guy and they were both taking a simulator class together, and his first name was Montgomery and Jim used to have a cat named Monty when he was little -and let me tell you, Scotty was very weirded out at being compared to a cat- and so that was a great name too, and Jim’s pretty sure he’s married to the small green guy that keeps following him around, but mainly only because he was apparently a faculty member so he didn’t really have any reason to hang around them otherwise unless they’re friends. And also, you don’t usually hold hands with friends according to Bones.

 

Jim is still mad at him for that revelation.

 

There was a trading post in orbit around the planet -actually, there were several, but only one of them was in range for a half hour shuttle ride to take them to it- and it was actually really popular with the campus kids. See, even if you couldn’t technically get a visa to beam down to the planet for some reason, the trading posts were considered neutral ground for all ships to land and trade on, as long as they followed the rules of the station, so a lot of -possibly illegal- cargo went through the stations on a regular basis. Leonard never wanted to come up to the station anyways because he was a party pooper who says that going in and out of orbit too much gives him a migraine.

 

Jim and Scotty were currently looking for some stealth gravity boots.

 

See, thing is, Jim grew up more in space than out of it, he’s been on and off of ships and planets more times than half the new terran cadets in their year, he  _ knows _ how useful it was for someone to have a pair of gravity boots on a ship. People always talked about power failures and life support failures, but he doesn’t think any of them have ever really been around a gravity failure before. It wasn’t talked about often enough, and even the medical students often expressed some fear to not knowing what to do when a patient is bleeding during a gravity failure. Which is bad, because blood leaves the body twice as fast when there’s no gravity, Jim’s seen it happen.

 

Anyways though, Starfleet had gravity boots, but they were these big clunky things that cost way too much to make and they only kept them on the ship for emergencies, which is dumb because in Jim’s opinion, since gravity cutting out is an  _ immediate _ emergency and makes things move slower most of the time, all active crew members should be wearing gravity boots at all times. It should be regulation. But with how clunky and stupid the ones Starfleet has are, it’s not a future Jim is looking forward to.

 

Scotty sided up next to Jim and said in a low voice as Jim sorted through a clothes vendor with thermal clothes meant for non humans in a human environment. Spock always looked really good in blue, and this shirt was about his size. “I think I might’ve found a vendor selling grav boots, but it looks like him and his buddy are pirates, and ya know they’re not too keen on selling to fleet members, even cadets.”

 

Jim looked down at clothes, giving them a quick once over. “I don’t have any fleet signs on me, I’m good, they ask, we’re working on a ship with a broken grav control center for a couple months.”

 

Scotty nodded. “The boots might not even work if we find any.”

 

“Good thing we’re both excellent engineering students then, huh?” He paid for the tunic he’d been debating getting and dropped it into the reusable bag he’d brought with them as they walked off. 

 

The stall Scotty had found was for sure run by a couple of skeezy guys, but they had a little section in the back for Jim and Scotty to try on the wears to see if they would blend in well enough with their uniforms. Stealth grav boots weren’t as reliable as fleet issued ones, but when you’re a good engineering student, you know how to fix them up, so Jim and Scotty are mostly looking for boots that don’t look as obvious as the usual grav boots. Plus comfort.

 

One of the guys was a pissy looking human who was cleaning his fingernails with a knife of all the damn things -Jim sort of hoped he’d cut himself with the way he was glaring at them- but the other one was an orion male, and much like orion women, as it turned out, orion men had a lot of interest in other humanoid creatures.

 

Jim’s not fully sure if they’re pirates or not, but he’s easily managed to circumvent any invasive questions by batting his eyelashes at the guy a little. He also seemed pretty appreciative over Scotty, but that man was oblivious to just about anything. As they left with two pairs of slightly faulty, but fairly new and comfortable grav boots -hell, if the boots themselves fell apart, they could move the tech to a newer pair- the guy trailed a hand down Jim’s arm with a little smirk on his face, a clear invitation to come back later, and Jim gave him a little wink before letting Scotty drag him off.

 

There was no harm in flirting, it’s not like he’d ever follow through with it. He’s bonded, and it keeps people distracted. A card trick in one hand, a phaser in the other.

 

Scotty pulled him towards the food court of the bazaar, knowing they still had quite a while before they needed to be back at the shuttle to take them down to San Fran. Scotty looked back at him with a frown and leaned over, smelling Jim’ arm where the orion had touched him. “Jesus, Kirk, he practically sprayed ya with his pheromones. You better be planning on showering before ya see that vulcan o’ yours, because it’d be really hard ta explain why Professor Spock suddenly decided to kill a pirate.”

 

Jim lifted his arm up with a frow, sniffing at his bicep. “I don’t smell like… oh, you know, I kinda do. Weird, I just thought I’d forgotten deodorant for a second. You don’t think Spock would be able to pinpoint whoever left it on me, do you?”

 

Scotty shrugged. “He’s half human, so I’m not a hundred percent, but if he’s got as high’a smell as any other vulcan, then yeah.”

 

Jim thought about that for a minute. The wall between him and Spock was firmly in place, mostly because Spock had office hours with students today, and he was strict about their privacy, as well as Jim knowing he’d scold him for buying from pirate vendors. The students at the academy knew they weren’t supposed to interact with anyone they thought were pirates, and they were supposed to turn them in, but Jim rarely actually followed that rule. He stood in line at a stall while he stared at the place the orion had touched him.

 

He wondered if Spock would really get jealous. Jim wasn’t unattractive, he had a lot of people propositioning him, but he was never interested in any of them. But none of them had been a species with the ability to spray pheromones before. Maybe Spock would be completely indifferent to it. Maybe he wouldn’t be upset like Scotty thought he would be.

 

He looked over at Scotty when they’d found a place to sit. “Does Keenser get jealous?”

 

Scotty shrugged. “I’m too oblivious to notice people flirting and he has too low a sense of smell to tell if someone is interested.”

 

Well, that answered the question if Scotty and Keenser was a thing or not. Jim frowned. “Would Spock really do that, get mad and all? Would he be mad at me? I didn’t mean it when I flirted back, was just trying to distract him.”

 

Scotty frowned back at him, head cocked to the side, as if studying an interesting problem. “You and Spock are bonded, right?”

 

Jim nodded. “We are telsu. Our bond has existed since before we knew of it.”

 

“But you’re fully bonded now right, mind meld and everything?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Then I don’t think he’d actually be mad. You could show him what happened, and he’ll see ya didn’t mean anything, but I’ve seen even vulcans get jealous of people touching their mates.”

 

“But you said-”

 

Scotty shook his head. “Listen kid, I was just joking. That fella a’yours’s a swell guy, he’d never do anything ta hurt ya, or even any civilians. Just ignore me, I just think ya should still wash that before he’ll be comfortable.”

 

Jim nodded. “Oh. Thanks.”

 

***

 

Jim was already halfway out of his tee shirt when he got into the dorm room, throwing it towards the hamper while he started working off his pants next and grabbing a pair of underwear out of a drawer before going towards the bathroom. Leonard stared after him strangely, a pile of PADDs on his lap. “You okay, Jim?”

 

Jim nodded, mumbling something about needing a shower before picking up his forgotten bag from the door and putting it on his bed. He didn’t come out of the shower for another ten minutes, but when he did, his skin was scrubbed pink and he looked a little sullen to be honest. He grabbed a pair of leggings out of the dresser this time, taking a minute to wriggle into those while Leonard just watched him, amused, and grabbed wool socks before flopping onto his back on the bed to pull those on.

 

“Something bothering you, Jimmy?”

 

Jim sighed, fiddling with the hem of the socks and turning to look at him on the other bed in the room. “I’m fine.”

 

He waited patiently for Jim to change his mind, and it took about fifteen seconds. Jim let out a loud sigh, getting up on his knees and opening the trunk at the bottom of his bed and rooting around before pulling out an oversized sweater that went just past his butt. He’d most likely stolen it from Spock. 

 

“Some stupid orion guy covered me in pheromones while we were up on the station and Scotty said that Spock would probably be upset if he smelled it on me.”

 

Leonard sat up from the bed and stared at him. “Jim, you’ve taken a shower and I’m pretty sure you’re wearing his shirt now, he’d probably be really pleased if he saw you right now.”

 

Jim perked up a little, unhiding his mouth from the cowl of the sweater. “He’d be happy? But wait, he’d be upset if I smelled like someone else?”

 

Leonard looked away, not really wanting to outline the tendencies of possessive vulcans in case the idea of Spock needing to  _ claim _ him made him uncomfortable. “He’d probably be a little upset with it, yes.”

 

Jim sighed, flopping back on the bed again. “Why are relationships so hard? This was easy before you ever mentioned that we were pretty much already dating anyways, but now there are all these… new things…”

 

Leonard raised an eyebrow. “New things?”

 

Jim was slowly turning a brilliant shade of red. “Yeah. Like… sometimes he kisses me, you know, with our hands. And sometimes we sleep in the same bed now.”

 

Leonard thought that as far as things went, Spock and Jim’s relationship was a little backwards. “You’ve been in his head for  _ years _ , Jim, is this really all that big of a difference?”

 

Jim sat up again, nodding vigorously. “Yes, yes it is, I mean, I’m used to hugging and holding hands, but it’s like everything is all weird and too much, and it… it’s different…”

 

“Sensitivity? Jim do you mean that you… that you don’t like people physically touching you?”

 

Jim honestly thought that over for a little bit. “I like touching, it’s just… Spock and I don’t normally do that. A mind meld is as close as you can get, you know? It’s so comfortable and warm, but bodies are different. They’re not perfectly made like minds are, sometimes they don’t fit together right. I mean, I  _ think _ our bodies fit together right, but it’s new.”

 

Leonard sighed. “You should probably go talk to him yourself. If you’re worried about him getting into a homicidal rage at you being touched by another species, maybe try snuggling up to him a little. Vulcans act all  _ logical _ and stuff, but they’re basically giant cats. Human on the other hand, evolved from monkeys, which explains why we as a species somehow find fart jokes funny, but vulcans evolved from cats. It means he’ll be pleased when you smell like him, and he’ll probably soften up if you cuddle him.”

 

Jim rather thought that seemed a lot like Spock. “You know, vulcans purr too.”

 

Leonard smirked a little. “They do, and it’s utterly precious. Have you ever seen a vulcan baby under the age of two? They purr themselves to sleep.”

 

Jim felt like his chest was constricting a little and reached up to clutch at his chest. “Jesus, that’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard in my life.”

 

Leonard snorted. “You think you might want a little vulcan of your own one day?”

 

Jim shrugged. “Maybe. After hearing that? Yes. If me and Spock have babies it’s going to be a vulcan. But I swear that mental image is too cute.”

 

Jim was grinning when he left, so Leonard labeled that one as a win. Until he got a message about a half an hour later from Spock, asking why Jim was talking about having children. While that had not been the point of their conversation, Leonard had a good laugh at that one.

 

***

 

Jim was starting to think that maybe -only maybe though, and no way in hell is he telling him- Bones might know everything, because he was right. Spock was  _ very _ pleased to see Jim wearing his clothes and smelling like him. Jim sort of wanted to move in with him just so he could smell like Spock all the time and steal more clothes.

 

Spock and him were curled up on Spock’s bed together, Jim tucked up into Spock’s arms while Spock initiated a low level mind meld. Jim thinks that maybe Spock is trying to get Jim used to being present in his body while they meld so he can also get used to cuddling.

 

_ You would be correct, th’y’la, being inside of your mind is a pleasure, but being against your body at the same time is bliss. _

 

Jim hummed happily, curling up closer to Spock when the vulcan started purring. It felt good and he loved it here. To be honest, he wonders why he never wanted to be like this with Spock before. He was so content right now, it was amazing.

 

He liked being wrapped up in Spock, smelling like his mate and being close to him. When they finally pulled apart, it was dark outside and Jim felt heavy but contented, like he’d just woken up.

 

Spock looked much more awake than him, and Jim was struck still to look at him. Spock was always one of the most beautiful beings that Jim had ever seen, but right now he looked lucid, eyes half mast and a little smile there that he would never allow if he wasn’t still so wrapped up in  _ them _ . Jim looked down at his lap with a little flush to his cheeks, a smile spreading on his face as he thought about how  _ he’d _ put that smile there.

 

He doesn’t know why he’d ever thought he could be content without this.

**Author's Note:**

> Spock initiates a mind meld with Jim when they're both children, and Sybok immediately gets mad at him cause you SHOULD NOT DO THAT cause you can hurt humans by doing that, but Spock didn't actually know any better cause he's seen his brother and father do mind melds on Amanda before, plus he's half human, and Sybok (a licensed mind adept by the age of sixteen) has been preforming mind melds on him when Spock is confused about something since Spock was a baby so Spock sort of ASSUMED that it was okay and did it on Jimmy when he started crying and didn't know how to get him to stop, but he had no actual way of knowing that wasn't the right thing to do, because to him that's pretty normal.
> 
> Or, as a friend of mine puts it;  
> Jimmy: *starts crying*  
> Spock: *freaking out* There's no need for sads, here, share my Chill^TM.
> 
> gatersgonewild.tumblr.com


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